The Kirkus Prize is one of the richest literary awards in the world, with a prize of $50,000 bestowed annually to authors of fiction, nonfiction and young readers’ literature. It was created to celebrate the 81 years of discerning, thoughtful criticism Kirkus Reviews has contributed to both the publishing industry and readers at large. Books that earned the Kirkus Star with publication dates between November 1, 2014, and October 31, 2015, are automatically nominated for the 2015 Kirkus Prize, and the winners will be selected on October 23, 2015, by an esteemed panel composed of nationally respected writers and highly regarded booksellers, librarians and Kirkus critics.

"Series fans, at least, will take this outing (and clear evidence of more to come) in stride. (Fantasy. 10-12)"

Zipping back and forth in time atop outsized robo-bell bottoms, mad inventor Tippy Tinkletrousers (aka Professor Poopypants) legs his way to center stage in this slightly less-labored continuation of episode 9.
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"Is this the end? Well, no…the series will stagger on through at least one more scheduled sequel. (Fantasy. 10-12)"

Sure signs that the creative wells are running dry at last, the Captain's ninth, overstuffed outing both recycles a villain (see Book 4) and offers trendy anti-bullying wish fulfillment.
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"Pilkey is still having entirely too much fun with this popular series, which continues to careen along with nary a whiff of staleness. (Fiction. 8-10)"

Trying to salvage failing grades, George and Harold use their handy 3-D Hypno Ring on termagant teacher Ms. Ribble—and succeed only in creating a supervillain with a medusa-like 'do and a yen to conquer the world with wedgie power.
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"Children younger than the Captain's readership may find this droll, but Pilkey's just treading water; so rudimentary is the plot, so stock the characters, and so free is this of humor, that it may sink like the proverbial lead balloon. (Fiction. 7-9)"

The mind behind the redoubtable Captain Underpants teams up with a new illustrator for a new series, featuring a pipsqueak mouse and his humongous metal friend.
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Once again, it's Wedgie Power to the rescue, in a book subtitled "And the Invasion of the Incredibly Naughty Cafeteria Ladies from Outer Space (and the Subsequent Assault of the Equally Evil Lunchroom Zombie Nerds)."
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"There'll be no silence in the library once readers get hold of this somewhat classier alternative to Barf-o-Rama books and their crude ilk. (Fiction. 9-11)"

In the fine old tradition of James Marshall's Cut-Ups, Pilkey (God Bless the Gargoyles, 1996, etc.) introduces George Beard and Harold Hutchins, two usually responsible fourth-graders, as in ``whenever anything bad happened, George and Harold were usually responsible.'' Pranksters of the first order, George and Harold are finally nabbed by Mr. Krupp, the principal, whom they then hypnotize into believing he's Captain Underpants, a superhero of their own creation.
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"Pilkey (The Hallow-Wiener, 1995, etc.) may have created a throwback to a simpler time by presenting work as a desirable activity for children; this book is a gentle salve for the instability in so much of modern life. (Picture book. 4-10)"

A quiet, solid mood piece with a quiet, solid protagonist, who becomes a hero simply by doing his job every day.
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"Pilkey (Kat Kong, 1993, etc.) demonstrates his kinship to both Rosemary Wells and James Marshall with a book that has moments of high comedy, lowbrow humor, and good old-fashioned heroics. (Picture book. 4-7)"

Oscar (last name: Myers) is a sweet, sensitive dachshund who is troubled by his unique appearance (``half-a-dog tall and one- and-a-half dogs long'').
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This labored effort is obviously meant to be funny, but it's more in the goofball style of Beavis and Butthead than an entry in the ranks of fractured fairy tales by such masters as Scieszka/Lane or James Marshall.
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The irrepressible Pilkey strikes again with a spoof of the famous film, enacted by a real cat and some mice (``Flash as Professor Vincent Varmint, Rabies as Rosie Rodent,'' etc.) in color photo images imposed on background paintings.
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The author of When I Am Old With You (1990) and other celebrations of loving companionship teams up with the mad colorist of When Cats Dream (1992) for a tale of a black family that finds itself saddled with a huge, exuberant pet.
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"Pilkey's simple text suggests the dream adventures' liberating quality, splendidly realized in his glowing, beautifully designed paintings; handsome in themselves, they also make a unique introduction to modern art's ideas and images. (Picture book. 4-8)"

An imaginative exploration of the world of dream. ``When cats are awake, all the world is the same''—predictable and, in neatly framed black and white, realistic.
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"Never a dull moment here; the amiable Dragon's misapprehensions are as much fun as his quirky problem-solving, while the lighthearted illustrations display an unusual sensitivity to color and design in their artless-seeming background detail. (Easy reader. 6-8)"

Pilkey's series about a little blue dragon who keeps house (Dragon's Merry Christmas, 1991) gets stronger with each entry.
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"Colorful characters, delightful dialogue, and lively action following a repetitive folkloric design should make this a readaloud winner. (Illustrations not seen.) (Fiction. 8+)"

Told in the rich, well-honed style of a practiced storyteller, a sturdy yarn about a Jewish family taking refuge with a Christian baker in a backwater Russian village while they await passports to America, for which they've paid a cousin their life savings.
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